Cover not available

Article published In: Australian Review of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 33:2 (2010) ► pp.18.1–18.28

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF

Investigating the effect of contextual clues on the processing of unfamiliar words in second language listening comprehension

 | University of Calgary
 | National Institute of Education
Open Access logo
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Published online: 1 January 2010
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.2104/aral1018
This study examines the effect of contextual clues on the use of strategies (inferencing and ignoring) and knowledge sources (semantics, morphology, world knowledge, and others) for processing unfamiliar words in listening comprehension. Three types of words were investigated: words with local co-text clues, global co-text clues and extra-textual clues. Data were collected from 20 participants using the procedures of immediate retrospection without recall support and of stimulated recall. The results indicate that contextual clues are an important factor in learners’ treatment of unfamiliar words in listening comprehension. Contrary to what some theories of inference generation predict, this study reveals that learners use the inferencing strategy more frequently for words with global co-text clues and words with extratextual clues than for words with local co-text clues. In terms of the use of knowledge sources for inferring word meaning, the learners in this study use the knowledge sources in accordance with the different types of contextual clues.
References (50)
Buck, Gary. (2001). Assessing Listening. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cai, Wei. (2003). Investigating the processing of unfamiliar words in second language listening comprehension. Ph.D. thesis, National University of Singapore, Singapore.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Danks, Joseph and End, Laurel. (1987). Processing strategies for reading and listening. In R. Horowitz & S. S. Jay, (Eds), Comprehending oral and written language. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
de Bot, Kees; Paribakht, Sima T. and Wesche, Marjorie Bingham. (1997). Towards a lexical processing model for the study of second language vocabulary acquisition. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 19 (3), 309–329. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dubin, Fraida and Olshtain, Elite. (1993). Predicting word meanings from contextual clues: Evidence from L1 readers. In T. Huckin, M. Haynes & J. Coady (Eds), Second language reading and vocabulary learning. Norwood: Ablex.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ericsson, Anders K. and Simon, Herbert. (1993). Protocol analysis: verbal reports as data. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Field, John. (1998). Skills and strategies: Towards a new methodology for listening. ELT Journal, 52 (2): 110–118. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2003). Psycholinguistics: a resource book for students. London: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gass, Susan and Mackey, Alison. (2000). Stimulated recall methodology in second language research. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goh, Christine. (1997). Metacognitive awareness and second language listeners. ELT Journal, 51 (4), 361–369. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1998). Strategic processing and metacognition in second language listening, Ph.D. thesis, Lancaster University, Lancaster.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2002). Exploring listening comprehension tactics and their interaction patterns. System, 30 (2), 185–206. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Graesser, Arthur; Singer, Murray and Trabasso, Tom. (1994). Constructing inferences during narrative text comprehension. Psychological Review, 101 (3), 371–395. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Haastrup, Kirsten. (1991). Lexical inferencing procedures or talking about words. Tubingen: Gunter Narr.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Halliday, M. A. K. and Hasan, Ruqaiya. (1976). Cohesion in English. London: Longman.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hamada, Megumi. (2009). Development of L2 word-meaning inference while reading. System, 37 (3), 447–460. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Haynes, Margot. (1993). Patterns and perils of guessing in second language reading. In T. Huckin, M. Haynes & J. Coady (Eds), Second language reading and vocabulary learning. Norwood: Ablex.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Huckin, Thomas and Bloch, Joel. (1993). ‘Strategies for inferring word-meanings in context: A cognitive model’. In T. Huckin, M. Haynes & J. Coady (Eds), Second language reading and vocabulary learning. Norwood: Ablex.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hughes, David. (1996, April 6). Waiting for the sky to fall. New Scientist, pp. 42–43.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kaivanpanah, Shiva and Alavi, Sayyed Mohammad. (2008). The role of linguistic knowledge in word-meaning inferencing. System, 36 (2), 172–195. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Li, Xiaolong (1988). Effects of contextual clues on inferring and remembering meanings of new words. Applied Linguistics, 9 (4), 402–413. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lyle, John. (2003). Stimulated recall: A report on its use in naturalistic research. British Educational Research Journal, 29 (6), 861–878.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McKoon, Gail and Ratcliff, Roger. (1992). Inference during reading. Psychological Review, 99 (3), 440–466. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nassaji, Hossein. (2002). Schema theory and knowledge-based processes in second language reading comprehension: A need for alternative perspectives. Language Learning, 52 (2), 439–481. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2003). L2 vocabulary learning from context: strategies, knowledge sources, and their relationship with success in L2 lexical inferencing. TESOL Quarterly, 37(4), 645–670. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
O’Malley, J. Michael; Chamot, Anna Uhl; Kupper, Lisa. (1989). Listening comprehension strategies in second language acquisition. Applied Linguistics, 10 (4), 418–437. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
O’Malley, Michael J. and Chamot, Anna Uhl. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oxford, Rebecca. (1990). Language learning strategies: what every teacher should know. New York: Newbury House Publishers.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Paribakht, Sima T. and Wesche, Marjorie. (1999). Reading and incidental L2 vocabulary acquisition: An introspective study of lexical inferencing. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 21 (2), 195–224. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ponte, Lowell. (1992, May). Fires of destruction and creation. Readers’ Digest, pp. 34–39.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Richards, Jack. (1983). Listening comprehension: Approach, design, procedure. TESOL Quarterly, 17 (2), 219–240. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rieder, Angelika. (2003). A cognitive view of incidental vocabulary acquisition: From text meaning to word meaning. Vienna English Working Papers, 12 (1), 53–71.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ross, Steven. (1997). ‘An introspective analysis of listener inferencing on a second language listening test’. In G. Kasper and E. Kellerman, (Eds), Communication strategies: psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives. London: Longman.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rost, Michael. (1990). Listening in language learning. London: Longman.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rost, Michael and Ross, Steven. (1991). Learner use of strategies in interaction: Typology and teachability. Language Learning, 41 (2), 235–273. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sanders, Ted; Spooren, Wilbert; Noordman, Leo. (1992). Towards a taxonomy of coherence relations. Discourse Processes, 15 (1), 1–35. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schmidt, Richard. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. Applied Linguistics, 11 (2), 129–158. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shohamy, Elana; Inbar, Ofra. (1991). Validation of listening comprehension tests: The effect of text and question type. Language Testing, 8 (1), 23–40. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
SPSS Inc. (1999). SPSS Base 10.0 Applications Guide. ISBN #0-13-017901-9.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Stewart, Doug. (1995, May). Do fish sleep? Readers’ Digest, pp. 77–80.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tauroza, Steve and Allison, Desmond. (1990). Speech rates in British English. Applied Linguistics, 11 (1), 90–105. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tomlin, Russell and Villa, Victor. (1994). Attention in cognitive science and second language acquisition. Studies in Second Language Acquisition. 16 (2), 183–203. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tsui, Amy and Fullilove, John. (1998). Bottom-up or Top-down processing as a discriminator of L2 listening performance. Applied Linguistics, 19 (4), 432–451. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
van den Broek, Paul. (1994). Comprehension and memory of narrative texts: Inferences and coherence. In M.A. Gernsbacher (Ed.), Handbook of psycholinguistics. San Diego: Academic Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Vandergrift, Larry. (1996). Listening strategies of core French high school students. Canadian Modern Language Review, 55 (2), 200–223. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1997). The comprehension strategies of second language (French) listeners: a descriptive study. Foreign Language Annals, 30 (3), 387–409. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2003). Orchestrating strategy use: Toward a model of the skilled language listener. Language Learning, 53 (3), 463–496. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ward, Mark. (1998, January 31). Waiting in the wings. New Scientist, p. 9.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wu, Yi’an. (1998). What do tests of listening comprehension test?- A retrospection study of EFL test-takers performing a multi-choice task. Language Testing, 15 (1), 21–44.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (5)

Cited by five other publications

Johnson, Tamara Marie
2025. Effects of frame-semantically (in)congruent food labels on taste in non-native English speakers. Lingua 315 ► pp. 103875 ff. DOI logo
Wise, Crystal N.
2025. Assessment of Children’s Skill in Noticing Unfamiliar Words within Informational Context. Literacy Research and Instruction 64:2 ► pp. 256 ff. DOI logo
Chen, Chun-Yin Doris & Pin-Yu Ruby Lu
2024. Positivity Bias and Cultural Differences in Acquiring Haihao in Chinese as a Second Language. Languages 9:12 ► pp. 379 ff. DOI logo
Oliver, Rhonda, Honglin Chen & Stephen Moore
2016. Review of selected research in applied linguistics published in Australia (2008–2014). Language Teaching 49:4 ► pp. 513 ff. DOI logo
Van Zeeland, Hilde
2014. Lexical Inferencing in First and Second Language Listening. The Modern Language Journal 98:4 ► pp. 1006 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 6 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue